Tons of good info on here!! This is my first motorized bicycle build. I purchased the bike at a garage sale for $20 bought a engine kit and built a gas tank that fits between the frame. It was a fun build and gave me alley t of ideas for my next one
First motorized bike
- Thread starter tony palmieri
- Start date
Welcome Tony looks like you got skills and the tank turned out well as did the bike. We've got all kinds here assemblers, fabricators, designers and dreamers so we bring what we have and share what we dare all the while learning and creating stuff that wasn't till it was. Fun while building and joy in our riding. It's all here!
Rick C.
Rick C.
What do you do to strengthen the fenders up?Nice looking ride.Wish I had a shop like that. Make sure your fenders are strongly secured. Fenders locking up tires have got people hurt.
I've ridden scooters and cycles for almost 60 years and built many custom motorcycles along that path & not known of a single fender failure. Good materials and design eliminate the problem, but on bicycles it's a tragically common occurrence. I build mostly board track/flat track classic styles & don't run fenders on any of my builds, but those who do are wise to use heavy gauge steel sheet and custom shop built fittings with quality fasteners. There's a lot of vibrations going on with most of these small engines, suggested word of warning don't use any rubber on motor mounts in an attempt to lessen vibration, and not a lot of frame to dampen with so re-enforced sheet metal at each sheet metal to strut location and main fender to fork junction is also good a good design precaution as well. It's not rocket science just time consuming, with most classic style suspension forks especially. If you run mountain bike suspension forks or just solid forks then the task of mounting a fender is relatively quite simple when good materials are selected.
The greatest danger of running fenders on bicycles is in the builder/operator not knowing how potentially dangerous they can be and the catastrophic results of fender to tire lockup.
Rick C.
The greatest danger of running fenders on bicycles is in the builder/operator not knowing how potentially dangerous they can be and the catastrophic results of fender to tire lockup.
Rick C.
Thanks for the input! I will definitely look into the fenders, this is my first one and I have zero experience with them just always wanted one. I really dig the old flat track style with Springer front end and have allot of ideas for my next build so I appreciate the advice
Tony, I built a similar between the rails gas tank as yours and had a horrible time with it. When I say I tried and tried and tried ... I mean after tacking up my 3rd attempt I gave up and took it to the man to get it tig welded!
With all that practice I did get real good at forming the panels tho. I didn't need no Bondo.
With all that practice I did get real good at forming the panels tho. I didn't need no Bondo.
FOG you ended up with a nice tank though and much practice on thin sheet metal. Forming and welding without warpage are skills developed with practice and great patience either your own or ones employer! I had little of my own but great attitude from the other. All this stuff is just fun now or at least it should be!
Rick C.
Rick C.
That's a great looking tank! I formed mine and tacked it together then had a buddy Tig weld it for me. Just to help I coated the inside of the tank then filled it with water and put a little pressure to it I didn't find any leaks so maybe I got lucky, time will tellTony, I built a similar between the rails gas tank as yours and had a horrible time with it. When I say I tried and tried and tried ... I mean after tacking up my 3rd attempt I gave up and took it to the man to get it tig welded!
With all that practice I did get real good at forming the panels tho. I didn't need no Bondo.
Wish I was an expert but most of my stuff is from other builders.
https://motorbicycling.com/threads/fenders-are-dangerous-sticky-psa.65470/
Very nice stand. Hope you do not mind if I copy it.Tony, I built a similar between the rails gas tank as yours and had a horrible time with it. When I say I tried and tried and tried ... I mean after tacking up my 3rd attempt I gave up and took it to the man to get it tig welded!
With all that practice I did get real good at forming the panels tho. I didn't need no Bondo.